[rusticranger]

Hi guys,

I planted my potatoes and they are doing well (I think!). They are in two 10 metre rows and they've grown up quick! They are Maris Piper ones so hopefully they'll be good for all sorts of cooking.

But I have a question, when should I be digging them up?

Any help gratefully received!

Tom

[sabrina]

I dig up my potatoes when the shaws start to die back, early potatoes around July, late ones September/October.

[henchard]

Maris Piper are a main crop potato not an early variety.

Depends on when they were planted and weather conditions but are generally ready around July onwards.

Best thing is just to dig one plant up with a fork and see how they are doing in mid July; if they are a bit small leave them a bit longer.

[benkt]

I start to dig new potatoes when we start to pick the peas - an old rule that seems to work! The main crop I usually leave till they start to die back, Sept/Oct sounds about right depending on how the season has been,

[Ina]

You think of digging them up? 

Around here they've hardly been planted yet! And those that have been, haven't started growing yet... You must be in a very different place. 

[Greenerlife]

You think of digging them up? 

Around here they've hardly been planted yet! And those that have been, haven't started growing yet... You must be in a very different place. 

Yup!  Me too.  Only seen my first potato leaves brave it above ground this morning!

[Bionic]

Yup!  Me too.  Only seen my first potato leaves brave it above ground this morning!

Glad its not just me

[suziequeue]

I've had mine in the polytunnel but have been earthing them up (well - chucking more soil/compost into the bag) the first time they show their little leaves.


They have now reached the top of the bag so I'll let them grow on but I would say even the earlies have got another six weeks to go at least.

[Fleecewife]

It's not usually worth digging potatoes until they flower, but they will continue to bulk up after that time.
 
My trick is to scrabble around the roots, pulling soil away until I can see if there are any tubers in there which are big enough to eat.  If there are just one or two, then I go along the whole row until I have enough for a meal.  I make sure to draw up the soil well around the roots again after my fossicking - that way the plant can go on growing whilst we also get some spuds to eat 

[Possum]

My Arran pilot first earlies are also doing well in Somerset. First earlies are are usually ready to harvest when they start to flower. I do the same as Fleecewife - rummage around in the soil until I feel some that are ready to pull up. That way, the tiny marble sized ones can continue to grow.


Main crop potatoes like Maris Piper do need to wait until the greenery starts to die down.

[suziequeue]

I've got Charlottes in bags. When are they best to harvest?

[Clarebelle]

I've got Charlottes in bags. When are they best to harvest?

This is what I have also. The instructions on the bags (first time with pots!) said to wait until the foliage starts to die off, BUT, this might be just a general things rather than for a specific potato so I'd be interested to know what we should do with our charlottes!

[Greenerlife]

The great thing about growing spuds in bags is that you can rummage in them easily! I love Charlottes - probably one of my favourites!  I would wait until after flowering and have a feel inside the bag soil from the the outside, inwards (if you get my drift) to see if they are well formed.

[HesterF]

My first earlies are yet to flower (well there's been the odd one or two but nothing much and not on every plant) although the maincrop are in full flower - is this normal? I followed Fleecewife's advice and have scrabbled around the first earlies and it's like digging for gold - they're amazing and quite a lot bigger than I was expecting from new potatoes. So I've not dug anything up but just at the surface came up with enough for the five of us for dinner and they were lovely. Am I not supposed to have done this before they flowered? Or is it just a case of if it's there, eat it?

H

[Greenerlife]

My first earlies haven't flowered, and my main crop are flowering just as yours are - yes, it's weird!


i scrabbled around in the earth yesterday - found a potato the size of a pea    So mine definitely aren't ready. I think that you will be OK to eat them when you can but they will not have developed to their full tasty potential or deceloped their cell structure properly I guess, so they may not cook as they should.  Bet they are tasty though now!